You people must live too close to Philly... the spew has tainted your perceptions. Bryzgalov is a fine goalie. I'd rate him as a solid mid-tier starter. Obviously, you don't sign him to a contract like he just signed. But at @ $2m, coming off a mega-buyout, he'd be fine splitting time with Vokoun.

I've been never been a Fleury basher. Was rooting for him all the way through to the end. Nevertheless, I'd rather be paying $4m for solid goaltending than $7m. Especially if that savings means the difference between keeping Letang or not.

I like Bryzgalov. I liked him in Anaheim, I liked him Phoenix, I like him now. I think he can be a good goaltender. But right now, he's having as tough of a time mentally as Fleury is and he doesn't have his upside or pedigree as a winner. If a new goaltender is the answer, why would we be looking at that particular guy when we basically have that guy, but slightly better...?

Remember, it's two-fold. We have to pay Fleury to go away and then pay Bryzgalov to come here not to mention all the hoopla that comes with that. It's a lot of eyebrow furrowing and money laundering to maybe only take a lateral step...

I'm not trying to push Fleury out the door, and it sounds like that's the approach Shero is taking as well. But if he comes in and asks for or even hints at a trade, or if a team like Florida sees him as their guy and wants to swing a deal, then by all means let him go. A guy like Bryz could be brought in for major savings, without much dropoff.

No chance I buy Fleury out, at least this year. He'd have to really go down the tubes of irredeemability, and then maybe he'd get bought out next year as a last resort.

sil wrote:Pietrangelo was just making about the same as Letang...and he's about to make way more than $4,500,000.

How do you know?

Pietrangelo is a former Norris canidate just like Letang. He's the #1 D-man on a team that many feel is one of the better teams in the west and has only lost to the Kings the last two seasons. He's big, he's fast, he's better than Letang defensively, and his offensive numbers aren't that far off from Kris'. Plus, he was a high draft pick with pedigree, and he has 100% lived up to his hype so far. He just ended a contract that saw him get $3,166,667 per year. I'd be suprised if that number didn't at least reach $6,000,000, if not more.

St. Louis won't trade a steady number one D-man with size, and one who's only 23 years old for one who's prone to bad defensive gaffs, is smaller, and is almost 27.

IMO, a guy like Pietrangelo is untouchable. Shattenkirk however, he could be had, and he's about to see somewhere in the range of $3-5M if I had to guess. Still, that doesn't work because St. Louis would then have two top defenders (Pietrangelo and Letang) each making $6-8M.

mikey287 wrote:I like Bryzgalov. I liked him in Anaheim, I liked him Phoenix, I like him now. I think he can be a good goaltender. But right now, he's having as tough of a time mentally as Fleury is and he doesn't have his upside or pedigree as a winner. If a new goaltender is the answer, why would we be looking at that particular guy when we basically have that guy, but slightly better...?

Remember, it's two-fold. We have to pay Fleury to go away and then pay Bryzgalov to come here not to mention all the hoopla that comes with that. It's a lot of eyebrow furrowing and money laundering to maybe only take a lateral step...

Pay Fleury to go away? You don't believe there is a team out there that would trade for him?

sil wrote:IMO, a guy like Pietrangelo is untouchable. Shattenkirk however, he could be had, and he's about to see somewhere in the range of $3-5M if I had to guess. Still, that doesn't work because St. Louis would then have two top defenders (Pietrangelo and Letang) each making $6-8M.

Perhaps something along the lines of Shattenkirk, Perron, Halak, 1st for Kennedy and Letang. Then Fleury to Calgary for

Letang and Glass for Steen, Shattenkirk, and HalakSteen: Last year of his contract would be off the books if the Pens don't like himShattenkirk: RFA, pretty good offensive instinctsHalak: Even if it's a lateral move he's cheaper than Fleury and St. Louis has 2 number 1 goalies

Fleury to Calgary for Glencross and the Blue's 1stI'd do this for the 1st rounder and not get Glencross. Calgary makes the most sense out of any team that is going to want a starting goalie without locking themselves into something long term. If Fleury doesn't work out they don't re-sign him.

Torres: Signed for less than he's making, reclaims his career hereKennedy: Signed for less than the contract he received from his 20 goal campaignShattenkirk with a raiseIan White brought in because he can skate and make a decent breakout passJeffery and Bort Re-signed

mikey287 wrote:I like Bryzgalov. I liked him in Anaheim, I liked him Phoenix, I like him now. I think he can be a good goaltender. But right now, he's having as tough of a time mentally as Fleury is and he doesn't have his upside or pedigree as a winner. If a new goaltender is the answer, why would we be looking at that particular guy when we basically have that guy, but slightly better...?

Remember, it's two-fold. We have to pay Fleury to go away and then pay Bryzgalov to come here not to mention all the hoopla that comes with that. It's a lot of eyebrow furrowing and money laundering to maybe only take a lateral step...

Pay Fleury to go away? You don't believe there is a team out there that would trade for him?

Well...do you? I mean, would you trade for Bryzgalov? It's not so much the player, it's the contract. Granted, Fleury's is less ridiculous than Bryzgalov's, but is that really something you can justify investing that kind of coin in? Who is in such need for a goaltender that may or may not be damaged goods and wants to acquire him and pay his $5 million salary? Especially when you consider a market where Roberto Luongo is known to be available and so is Ryan Miller...there just isn't a market for that...

Yes, I do think there is a team out there who would trade for Fleruy if GMRS were to make him available. No I wouldn't trade for Bryzgalov, his deal is ridiculous. 5.66 per through 2019. No thanks. Miller is in the last year of a 6.25M deal. IMO Miller isnt worth that and if you trade for him (give up an asset) he could be gone at the end of the season. Luongo is making more than Fleury, is signed through 2021, and has had less success.

Most teams that are looking for goalies are also in rebuild mode it would make sense to sign a guy with a more reasonable cap hit and arguably is in his prime like Fleury. This a interesting buy low scenerio for a rebuilding team.

And they have so many goalies waiting to go that they wouldn't...they got two of the best (maybe the two best) outside the NHL for "now-ish" help then they have Irving, Brossoit and Gilles waiting in the wings...in reverse order of probability of succeeding...